- Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has announced a two year decontamination plan. The plan covers all municipalities with general area or localized exposure levels at or below 50 millisieverts per year. The proposed deadline is March, 2014. The municipalities include many inside the 20km no-go zone and at least 11 others outside the no-go zone in the northwest evacuation corridor. Priority will be given to schools, parks and other facilities for children, as well as hospitals and fire departments. Future plans will be developed for municipalities with radiation levels above 50 millisieverts. (NHK World) “Our main goal is to make it possible for evacuees to return to their homes as early as possible,” said Environment Minister Goshi Hosono. He added that the government would “cautiously make a decision” on when to let people actually return, focusing on the opinions of local governments and the people themselves because “we should not rush them to return”. The plans for repopulation depend on three categories of contamination levels. Areas below 20 millisieverts/year exposures will allow people to return “in stages”, repopulation will be “restricted” between 20 and 50 millisieverts, and areas over 50 millisieverts will be designated as “difficult to return” for residents. The “difficult to return” areas will cover about one-third of the current evacuation zones. (Mainichi Shimbun)
- Testing centers have become “inundated” with requests by companies to analyze their gravel for contamination. With Fukushima Technology Centre in the city of Koriyama, requests to check gravel and concrete for radioactive contamination have jumped by a factor of seven. The Centre says they have a backlog of requests through mid-February. The Gunma Industrial Technology Center’s activity has leaped from 25 to about 120 requests per day, which led a Gunma representative to say, “We can’t handle it all.” Even the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute, 250 kilometers from Fukushima, is getting requests leading an official to say, “Until now we haven’t tested gravel, but we will consider whether it is possible.” (Mainichi Shimbun) Radiophobia has wormed its way into Japan’s construction industry.
- Local residents flocked to the Oi nuclear power station during the IAEA’s “stress test” visit on Thursday. Most of those in attendance voiced their concerns, largely based on fear of the unknown. Eiichi Inoue, a 63-year-old retiree in the coastal town of Obama. “I know they added stress tests, but what exactly are they doing? I oppose restarting them.” Still others doubt the efficacy of the stress tests themselves. “I don’t view their evaluation as something that is trustworthy or carries any weight,” said Hiromitsu Ino, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. On the other hand, some citizens voiced support of reactor restarts for economic reasons. Naozane Sakashita, a taxi and bus-driver, said “I think these idle plants should resume as soon as their safety is confirmed. Our jobs and daily life are more important than a disaster that occurs only once in a million years.” Chikako Shimamoto, a 38-year-old fitness instructor in Takahama, said “We need jobs and we need business in this town. Our lives in this town depend on the nuclear power plant and we have no choice.” (Japan Times)
- Government sources say TEPCO is ready to accept Tokyo’s offer of a $12.8 billion buy-out. The Japanese Press calls it a “bail out”. If and when this happens, TEPCO will be in a de-facto state of nationalization. The money would come from the state-backed Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund which is largely financed by the companies owning nuclear facilities in Japan. (News on Japan.com)
- Three of the most experienced and prestigious nuclear experts in Japan have gone public with their view on the nation’s nuclear energy debate. Shojiro Matsuura, former head of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC); Kenji Sumita, former acting NSC chief; and Shunichi Tanaka, former acting chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan, have apologized for their pre-Fukushima optimism with nuclear safety. However, they stress that without nuclear-powered electricity, Japan’s economy faces the specter of doom. They point out that it is essential to disseminate knowledge and wisdom throughout society to come up with a comprehensive and strategic response to Fukushima, and not base decisions on little more than fear itself. Mr. Sumita said the Japanese nuclear community did not apply lessons learned from past nuclear accidents, and that was the most critical mistake, “We’ve heard utility companies saying, ‘What [other countries] did has nothing to do with us. If we took measures, we would also be seen as being irresponsible.’” On the other hand, looking back over his 50 years in nuclear energy Mr. Matsuura said, “As a person who lived through an era of insufficient energy supply, I think that if we were to maintain the current standard of living in Japan with the current population, we would need to secure a source of atomic energy and use it to live while ensuring its safety.” (Mainichi Shimbun)
- Ex-Prime Minister Naoto Kan continues to inch closer to becoming a full-fledged anti-nuclear activist. His sights are set squarely on the international stage. At the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Kan called for an international nuclear debate to insure the safety of nuclear plants. He further advocated a nuclear-free world while promoting renewable power sources and energy saving measures. Kan’s message was given behind closed doors to an international audience of business and political leaders. (JAIF)
- As of today, there will be but three nuclear power plants operating in Japan. Chugoku Electric Power company has announced that its Shimane unit #2 will be shut down for routine maintenance, inspection and refueling. This marks 45 of Japan’s 48 fully-functional, undamaged nukes being idled. At least 20 of them are totally capable of immediate operation, but former P.M. Kan’s de facto moratorium on nuclear plant operation and local government fears keep them from operating and relieve Japan’s current energy shortage. (JAIF)
This site requires a lot of work. We hope you find our efforts valuable and rewarding. Please consider offering your support. There is no minimum amount. Feel free to donate as you see fit, without restriction. Thank you...
